Flash Flood Threat Eyes Missouri Valley, Mid-Atlantic Into Thursday

A developing storm system will track from the Missouri Valley to the mid-Atlantic through Thursday and produce rounds of showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rain.

According to AccuWeather Meteorologist Josh Searles, "The atmosphere is currently very moist in these areas, which will allow any thunderstorm to produce locally heavy rainfall."

"Storms may become strong to severe in parts of southern Missouri into northern Arkansas Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday evening," he added.

Turning Cooler Northeast; Soaking Rain Late Week

Cities at risk for heavy rain through Wednesday include Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Louisville and Lexington Kentucky; and Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee.

Damaging winds near 60 mph are possible with these storms. Combined with heavy rainfall, this can lead to downed trees and power lines leading to sporadic power outages.

Locations at risk for heavy rain and flash flooding potential on Thursday include Chattanooga and Knoxville Tennessee, Greensboro and Raleigh, North Carolina, Richmond and Virginia Beach, Virginia, and the Delmarva Peninsula.

Travel will become difficult at times across interstates 40, 55, 64, 75, 81 and 95.

The heaviest storms are expected to stay outside of the major cities of Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

Never drive through a flooded roadway. Only a small amount of rushing water can wash away vehicles. Turn around, don't drown!

There is some uncertainty with the track of the storm system as it passes over the Appalachians. A track farther north could push the heaviest precipitation closer to Philadelphia and New York City. A track farther south could concentrate the heaviest precipitation across the Carolinas and outside of Washington, D.C.

As this storm system moves off the coast of the mid-Atlantic on Friday, it will take a turn toward the north into Atlantic Canada, but is expected to remain far enough offshore for minimal impacts across coastal New England.

Stay tuned to AccuWeather.com for further updates on this developing storm.